lent

Today is Good Friday and I am thinking back on the last almost-40 days. It has been a very different Lent for me. I challenged myself to spend one hour in God's Word every day. This hour was to be separate from my morning daily-devotion time. It proved to be quite a challenge. Harder than anything I have ever given up for Lent.

Joe put together a read-through-the-book-of-Luke calendar for our church and that is where my focus has been. He gave me a great leather-bound study Bible on our 3rd anniversary (the year of the leather-themed gift) and so not only have I been reading the selected passage, but also all the accompanying notes. It ends up taking quite a bit of time.

I have learned so much more reading the Bible this way - in small doses but with heavy concentration on the words, characters, and context. After studying scripture, I reflect and pray. This has been fun actually. Oftentimes I found myself walking around the backyard (and getting sun in the process!) talking to God. I tried to do this routine before picking up the kids from school, but many days I sat in the backyard or on the playroom sofa while Hannah and Joseph played outside. Occasionally, I did have to try to ignore the little guy driving circles around me on his motorcycle or tractor. Such is life with little ones!

But this was a hard commitment and I was not 100%. There were many days when I found it time to get the kids and, telling myself I would do it later, never found the time (or made the time) until bedtime. And, yep, there were a few days when it didn't happen at all. Sometimes I thought it would have been much easier to give up something I ate or drank, but I'm glad I made that decision on Ash Wednesday. I certainly learned a lot - about my Lord and about myself.

I am thankful for this time of learning and growing in my faith. Challenging myself now to continue this practice year-round.

So, since I'm here and I haven't blogged in a while, I'll post some photos from the last couple months.

Date with Dad, February 5th:

Delivering Girl Scout cookies and selling at Walmart:

Valentine's school parties, making hearts for Daddy, and after-church special Valentine lunch:

Hannah's World of Coca Cola field trip with the Oratorical Club. I got to go, too!

Celebrating Cousin Stella's 1st birthday party in Savannah, February 20th!

Back home...being cuties:

(In Uncle Ben's sweater, he thinks he's pretty cool.)

Welcome March! Joe and Hannah, looking very liturgical in their purple:

My scripture-reading distraction, Officer Buck patrolling the backyard:

Pocahontas encouraging "Sharkie" with his shark-hotel building skills and then saying she's got to go kill a deer to eat for dinner. (Not making this up!)

Hannah's very favorite Sunday tradition, "helping Daddy" close up the church and walking from worship back to the office (currently relocated during construction). 

Soccer. Lots of soccer! Hannah has loved it and looks forward to every practice and game. She has come a long way and is playing great. Joseph is Ferdinand the Bull (if you've read the children's book, you know exactly what this means). While he loves to kick the ball and play at home, he has no interest in playing with the team and prefers to piddle on the sidelines, playing in the dirt or with the water cooler. He does get excited when he can play goalie.

St. Patrick's Day...in Sandersville for the third year in a row. Hannah had pink eye and couldn't go to school so we watched the parade in Savannah online. That night I co-hosted girls supper club, so I wasn't home, but Joe made the kids a fun green feast!

Palm Sunday, March 20th. Hannah walking with Joe again. Joseph is excited about Reese's cups given to them during the children's message. It was about it being Palm Sunday but also Passion Sunday and therefore a day of mixed emotion. Rev. Sidney gave them the illustration of funny things that go together (like sweet and salt) and gave them chocolate and peanut butter. They loved it, of course and Joe did too (Reese's is his favorite candy).

Joe has had a few appointments in Athens for physical therapy. What started as a running evaluation given to him by my mom became treatment for injuries and pain relief for his back. The therapist is great and we are hopeful that he will eventually find total pain relief from all accident-related injuries. On two occasions, we made it a day-date and I went with him.

And today. I have a hard time with Easter parties and egg hunts on Good Friday, but I understand how it has to work with school. My cute Monkey before heading into school. She has a super fun field trip lasting most of the day:

Well, that update didn't take too long. Maybe I'll be back with more after Easter. :)

advent goings and doings

Good Saturday Morning to you, my few loyal readers! :) Since my last post, we have done all sorts of Christmassy things. Our Advent calendar has guided several opportunities to serve and do for others, as well as surprised the kiddos with fun plans.

Included in the goings and doings of the last few weeks... 

We have finished up our shopping, including picking out a nice dog bed and new collar for Mollie. It was really important to my babies, especially since losing Chloe, to have Christmas gifts for our sweet black dog. They had to test out the bed (on the floor in Walmart):

We have spent several afternoons popping popcorn (on the stove!) and watching movies. I have to tell you, now that I know how to do it the real way and it tastes so much better, I don't think I'll ever go back to the microwave. Love these faces:

We attended Christmas on the Square in downtown Sandersville. We've never been, as that is always the same night (first Thursday of December) as the district pastors' Christmas party. This year, Joe went solo to that, and I took Hannah and Joseph to participate in the children's parade. 

{Dinner at Waffle House afterwards...always a treat!}

We had some friends over for a last-minute get-together. Joe did custom pizzas and it was perfectly laid-back and fun.

Joseph was my big helper in tree decorating; we hung all the ornaments on the big playroom tree in no time. And only broke four or so. 

Hannah had a few Oratorical Club performances, one at a civic club and two at the school. She is doing well and enjoying that. We like that it gives her exposure to people of various ages and ups her confidence in public speaking. The students range from kindergarten to second grade and Hannah's teacher, who she adores, is one of the advisors.

We had snow. No, not snow. Sand. Lots of sand dumped and spread around our front and side yards to even them out. Ever since our new driveway was put in, we've had issues and need to backfill. There were also holes here and there from the massive trees that have been taken down in the last few years. Don't worry, you know I took a video for Joseph to see the Bobcat moving the sand all around. 

The kids liked how it looked like it snowed at our house and have had a great time playing in the sand... 

On one recent afternoon I looked out the kitchen window (while peeling a cutie for Joseph), to see something moving way up in the magnolia tree. It was my little monkey girl. It about freaked me out, but once I saw she was ok and having a grand old time, I grabbed my phone to take pictures.

{Granddaddy started her climbing on that tree when he was here for a visit earlier in the year. I knew she climbed on it when out in the backyard, but I had no idea how high she went up. That child is going to keep me on my toes...}

We squeezed in a super-short but fun trip last weekend, visiting with family and playing in Savannah. 

Going to see the Salvation Army House of Lights is a Christmas tradition in our family. We park the car and walk around a display that spans three houses.

{Unfortunately, Joseph got sick that night with what we thought was food poisoning but later realized was a stomach bug. I got it, too, and it was a hard one to shake.}

Saturday morning, after a family pancake breakfast out, we took Hannah ice skating for the very first time! Nobody fell and she loved it!

Then we picked up Joseph and headed out to Burnside Island where we played at Gran Gran and Poppy's and took full advantage of the beautiful weather by having lunch on the dock.

Between the dock and the garage door, Joseph had a ball! Neither child wanted to leave. But, we had made plans to meet Meme at the mall for mani/pedis and that was awesome! (I can't remember my last...a year ago, maybe?!)

We arrived in Savannah on Friday afternoon and left after 8 o'clock Saturday night. It was a short stay, but we packed in a lot of fun. Before leaving, Meme surprised me with a little early-birthday celebration. Hannah and Joseph were very excited about the cake and watching me unwrap some presents.

We also gave Stella her presents! 

I'm thankful Joe convinced me to go to Savannah. I really didn't want to give up a quiet weekend at home to wrap presents and be lazy, but I'm glad I did. The next morning was our Christmas Cantata at church. Both Joe and I joined the choir to sing. 

Then came this week, the last week of school. Joseph's class went on a field trip to the Milledgeville library to see Santa on Monday. I "stealed him away" and we went to run errands and have lunch with his friend, Weston and my friend, Rebecca, before heading back home. 

...Which brought even more excitement, because the demolition of Daddy's office was underway and we got to watch it!!

The construction superintendent gave them both bricks...highly treasured souvenirs from many memories spent at Joe's office for the last 4 1/2 years. 

Hannah had a Polar Express party at school, for which to attend she had to earn a "golden ticket" with good behavior. Joseph also had a Polar Express viewing and both had their class parties. While Joseph unwrapped a gift I brought for him, the big kids in kindergarten got to do a swap.

...Hannah even talked me into going on the playground with her class yesterday. (It was so cold!)

Yesterday afternoon in the Advent calendar there was a last-day-of-school surprise: a trip to Milledgeville to see the new Chipmunks movie. It was their first time going to the movies and they were thrilled! After we dropped Joe off to swim some laps, I drove the kids through one of those moving car washes. Also a first...they were excited, and hysterical:

The movie was entertaining and we all enjoyed it. Of course, we also loved the popcorn and candy.

And now it's the Saturday before Christmas! A true stay-home day. A chance for me, still in my pajamas, to write this update and do some things around the house. Tomorrow is a really busy day.